The Lost Girls Races: Tough Mudder Preparation

My Tough Mudder race is less than 3 weeks away. Our team of Lost Girls have been preparing and training to the best of our abilities to successfully finish this event. We’re all hoping the temperature warms up a bit here in New England before the big competition, but whatever the day brings we’ll take it on.

Race Essentials: What I’m Bringing

Shoes

As with any race the shoes you wear can make or break you. The folks at New Balance have very generously supplied me with what I feel are the perfect shoes for this type of event. They are extremely lightweight so the mud won’t weigh them down too much. They also have a synthetic, wicking liner to combat waterlogged feet. The soles have gripping lugs to aid with traction while going up and down the ski mountain. And they’re a really cool purple.

Gloves

This is a new one for me. Sure, I’ve worn gloves to keep my hands warm while running in the winter, but these had to be different. Warmth is not so much a factor as is grip. We’ll be traversing monkey bars, hauling logs and pulling ourselves and others over obstacles. I was advised to not spend too much on my gloves…they won’t be in any condition to be worn again.

Clothing

My choice for attire will be somewhat dictated by the weather the day of the race, but I’m tentatively planning on running shorts. Specifically the type that are tight and end just at the knee. I’ll be wearing an older pair that I don’t mind ditching after the race. For my top half I’m planning on a wicking t-shirt over a sports bra. Ditto on the old t-shirt…I have a feeling it will be easier to just throw these items away afterwards than to try to clean out the ground-in mud.

Goggles

After seeing some of the photos from past Tough Mudder races I’ve decided to look like a complete geek and wear swim goggles. I wear contact lenses and am quite literally blind without them. There are many water obstacles, some of them underwater. And that’s not even considering the effects dirt and mud could have if they get into my eyes. If a contact comes out, I’ll be useless for the rest of the race.

Vaseline

Ok, I know it sounds kind of strange. But if you’ve ever done any kind of distance competition you know that even a tiny blister or area of chafing can knock you out of the race. My answer for this is good old Vaseline. It stays where you put it and protects what you put it on. The newest formulations even have a pleasant scent.

Sense Of Adventure

This almost goes without saying, but it’s an integral part of my mental preparation. When my teammates and I see each other or talk, the subject of this race inevitably comes up. I think we’re all a bit nervous, but more than that we’re excited. So we try to keep each other fired up.

Race Non-Essentials: What I’m Leaving Behind

10 Lost Pounds

All of my training has resulted in the loss of those 10 pesky pounds that have been hanging around for far too long. Not completely by accident either…I want to make it as easy as possible for my teammates to haul me up over a 12 foot wall if necessary. The timing couldn’t be better – summer is just a few weeks away.

Trepidation

If I dwell on the parts of this endeavor I’m anxious about it could overwhelm me. So, I’ve put that kind of thinking right out of my mind. I’m focusing on the positive; I’m in the best shape I’ve been in a long time and I’m going to have an amazing experience with some exceptional women. And not incidentally, I’ll have great stories to tell about it afterward!

Meet the Lost Girls!

We're three New Yorkers who ditched our media jobs to embark on a yearlong, round-the-world journey in search of adventure and inspiration. To find out what prompted us to leave everything familiar behind, click here